4 Best Foundation Companies in Austin, MN

On average, Austin homeowners pay roughly $3,001 for foundation repair, although the cost will depend on several factors. The easiest way to get an estimate for the cost of a specific project is to ask for quotes from a few local foundation repair companies. Your total cost will be influenced by things like the size of your house and type of repair(s) needed.

Types of foundation repair include leak repair, crack repair, stabilization, underpinning, and waterproofing.

For both leak repair and crack repair, a technician will come to your home, complete an inspection, and use various repair techniques to fix leaks or cracks. The amount you spend will vary greatly depending on the size and root cause of the issue.

Stabilization is the process of fixing bowing walls by inserting steel or carbon fiber strips. The amount you spend will depend on the material used and the number of strips needed. The cost of underpinning also varies. This process, also called piering or leveling, involves underpinning your foundation with concrete piers to level it; the cost is based on how many piers are needed.

If you're interested in waterproofing your foundation or basement, we recommend looking for a waterproofing specialist. This process may include indoor waterproofing, outdoor waterproofing, or both.

When caring for your foundation, you should make sure that it gets the right amount of moisture. Avoid letting the soil around your Austin house become too wet or too dry – make changes to your gutter system to route water away, or water your foundation if it starts to get too dry. You should also be sure to promptly identify and fix any leaking pipes or gutters.

If you have any concerns about your foundation, you can reach out to a structural engineer for an evaluation. This will cost a few hundred dollars, but the consultation can net you a list of things to be aware of as well as more ideas to help you further protect your foundation. Lastly, if you're building a new house, ensure that you have a soil report done. This can provide information about how well the soil on your property can support a foundation, and can highlight any potential future problems.

Foundation repair usually requires a permit, but getting one shouldn't be your responsibility. Your foundation repair professional should put together the permit and all other documents required in Austin, and should be able to explain the process and/or provide the documents before starting work.

Sometimes, foundation repairs can be considered capital improvements if they meet the criteria of an improvement that adds to your house's overall market value, prolongs its life, or adapts it to new uses. Making capital improvements sometimes allows you to qualify for tax breaks. (Speak with your Minnesota tax professional for more information.) This aside, foundation repairs will, in most cases, positively affect the value of your home.

We highly recommend reaching out to your home insurance provider before you start any foundation repairs to determine what may be covered. Typically, foundation repairs won't be covered by home insurance unless they're to fix damage that was caused by a covered weather event.